Automatic joint oiler



United States Patent [72] inventors Herman E. Phillips 7 R0. Box 133, Allen, 74825; Arthur L. Thomason, P.O. Box 8, Dustin,

Oklahoma 74839 [2]] Appl. No. 779,989 7 [22] Filed Nov. 29, 1968 [45] Patented Nov. 24, 1970 s4 Auromrlc JOINT OILER 2,027,630 1/1936 Bowen 3,103,897 9/1963 Bonannoetal Primary Examiner-Manuel A. Antonakas AttorneyFishburn, Gold and Litman trailing spray bar, each having a pair of spray nozzles directed toward opposite sides of the respective rail splice joint, in response. to operation of a control valve upon an activating wheel engaging a splice bar at the respective rail splice joint. An elongate mobile frame travels along the rails of the track and'has the control valve, activating wheel, and leading and trailing spray bars carried thereon, and has a pair of longitudinally spaced support wheels rotatably mounted at opposite ends of the frame to contact each rail and a guide wheel positioned opposite the activating wheel and engaging an interior surface of a ball portion of the respective rail.

Paten'te'cl Nov. 24, 1970 Sheet 1 or? INVENTOREJ HERMANE. P/l/lL/PS M ARTHUR L. T/mmsm" W M 3/ &1

KTTORN 8Y8 AUTOMATIC JOINT OILER The present invention relates to railroad apparatus, and

more particularly to new and useful improvements in automatic joint oilers for oiling splice joints of railroad rails. The principal objects of the present invention are: to provide an automatic oiler mechanism for oiling splice joints of railroad rails, thereby reducing track noises and wear; to provide such a joint oiler having leading and trailing spray bars each having a pair of nozzles straddling each rail of a track with the spray nozzles spraying oil on. a rail splice joint in response to activation of a control valve upon an activating member engaging a rail splice bar on the respective rail; to provide such a joint oiler adjustably mounted on a selfpropelled mobile vehicle and movable between an operative and an inoperative position; to provide such a joint oiler wherein the spray nozzles are positioned and directed to cover the entire area ofthe rail splice joint; to provide such a joint oiler wherein the activating member is a wheel rotatably mounted on a bracket which is pivotally mounted on a frame, whereby when the activating wheel engages the respective rail splice bar, a portion of the bracket engages a plunger extending from the flow control valve to open a flow path for oil under pressure to flow to the spray nozzles; and to provide such a joint oiler that is simple and practical in construction, strong and reliable in use, relatively compact in structure, efficient and durable in operation, inexpensive to manufacture, service and operate, thereby saving time and expense in labor, and otherwise well adapted for the purposes intended.

Other objects andadvantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein are set forth by way of illustration and example certain embodiments of this invention.

FIG. 1 is a side view of an automatic joint oiler embodying the features of the present invention and showing a mobile vehicle having the joint oiler mounted thereon.

FIG. 2 is a rear view of the vehicle and a pair of automatic joint oilers, one on each rail of a railroad track.

F IG. 3 is an enlarged side elevational view of one of the automatic joint oilers. V I

FIG. 4 is an enlarged rear elevational view of one of the automatic joint oilers.'

FIG. 5 is an enlargedplan view of one of the automatic joint oilers. v FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational view of the mounting of one of the joint oilers on the vehicle.

Referring more indetail to the drawings:

The reference numeral 1 generally designates a selfpropelled mobile vehicle adapted for traveling along transversely spaced rails 2 and 3 of a railroad track and carrying a pair of automatic joint oilers 4 and 5 engageable with the rails 2 and 3 respectively. The vehicle 1 carries an oil reservoir 6 and an oil pump 7 thereon for supplying oil under pressure to a leading spray bar 8 and a trailing spray bar 9 on-each of the joint oilers 4'and 5. The spray bars 8 and 9 each have a pair of transversely spaced spray nozzles 10 and 11 which are directed towardopposite sides of the respective rails 2 and 3, for spraying oil'thereon in response to operation of a control valve 12 upon an activating member 14 engaging asplice bar H at a rail splice joint 16in the respective rails 2 and 3.

The automatic joint. oilers 4 and 5 are each carried on an elongate mobile frame 17 which travels along the rails 2 and 3 respectively and-has the control valve '12, activatingmember 14. and leading and trailing spray bars 8 and 9 carried thereon.

The leading and trailing spray bars 8 and 9 are each essentially rigid tubular membets communicating with the control valve 12, and the spray nozzles 10 and 11 are directed toward each side of the respective rails 2 and 3 and the rail splice bar thereon.

An elongate flexible tubular member 18 communicates the oil reservoir 6-and theoil pump 7, with the control valve 12 on each of the automatic joint oilers 4 and 5, for flow of oil under pressure to the spray nozzles 10 and 11, for oiling the rail splice joint 16 of the respective railroad rails 2 and 3.

' wheel 14 cooperate in maintaining the respective joint oiler 4 v The tubular member 18, as illustrated, has a suitable fitting 19 to divide the flow of oil under pressure to each of the joint oilers 4 and 5 through flexible tubular members '20 and 21 respectively. A flexible tubular member 22 extends between the control valve 12 and a substantially rigid tubular member 23 connecting the leading and trailing spray bars 8 and 9.

The control valve 12 has an elongate plunger 24 extending from one side thereof, 'with the plunger 24 having a flow interrupting position and a flow permitting position. The plunger 24 is normally biased to the flow interrupting position to interrupt flow of oil under pressure to the spray nozzles 10'and 11 on the spray bars 8 and 9.

The activating member 14 is illustrated as a wheel which is rotatably mounted on a bracket 25 which is pivotally mounted on an exterior surface of the frame 17. The activating wheel 14 is positioned to engage a web portion 26 of the respective railroad rail 2 and 3 whereby when the activating wheel 14 engages the splice bar 15 the bracket 25 will permit the activating wheel 14 to travel along the splice bar 15 to thereby move the bracket 25 into engagement with the plunger 24 to move same to the flow permitting position to permit flow of oil under pressure to the spray nozzles 10 and 11 of the spray bars 8 and 9 of the respective joint oiler 4 or 5.

The bracket 25 is substantially an L-shaped member having a mounting arm 27 having the activating wheel 14 rotatably mounted thereon, and an activating arm 28 pivotally mounted on the exterior surface of the frame 17 intermediate the ends thereof. An upper portion of the activating arm 28 is positioned to engage a'free end of the plunger 24 to move the same from the flow interrupting position to the flow permitting position upon engagement of the activating wheel 14 with the splice bar 15.

The frame 17 for each of the joint oilers 4 and 5 is an elongate mobile frame adapted to travel along the rails 2 and 3 respectively and, in the illustrated structure, longitudinally spaced support wheels 29 and 30, leading and trailing respectively, are rotatably mounted on opposite ends of the frame 17 and are positioned to engage a top surface31 of a ball portion 32 of the respective rail 2 or 3. A guide wheel 33 is rotatably mounted on the frame 17 and positioned to engage an inside surface 34 of the ball portion 32 of the respective railroad rail 2 or 3.

Thecontrol valve 12, guide wheel 33, activating wheel 14, and bracket 25 are mounted on the frame 17 intermediate the ends thereof, with the guide wheel 33 being positioned in an aligned relation with the control valve 12 and activating wheel 14 to balance the joint oilers 4 and 5 to. thereby provide a smooth travel along the rails 2 and 3 respectively.

it is desirable to have the guide wheel 33 and the activating or 5 aligned with the respective rail 2 or 3, therefore, the center of gravity of the bracket 25 and activating wheel 14 is within the respective rail 2 or 3 whereby the activating wheel 14 firmly engages the web portion 26 thereof.

The shape of the bracket 25, position of the activating wheel 14 on the mounting arm 27, and the pivotal mounting of the activating arm 28 on the exterior surface of the frame'17, therefore, cooperate to normally bias or swing the activating wheel 14 into firm engagement with the web portion 26 of the respective rail 2 or 3, whereby the activating wheel 14, upon engagement with the splicebar 15, moves an upper portion of the activating arm 28 into firm engagement with the plunger 24 of the control valve 12.

In the illustrated structure, the pivotal mounting of the bracket 25 includes a rod 35 which is suitably secured to the activating arm 28, as by welding, and has opposite ends thereof rotatably received in spaced sleeves 36 and 37, suitably secured to the exterior surface of the frame 17, as by welding.

The automatic joint oilers 4 and 5 are each adapted to be adjusted between an operating position as shown in FIGS. 1 to 5, inclusive, and an inoperative position, shown in broken lines in FIG. 1, for traveling between sections of track to be treated. In the illustrated structure, a bracket 38 is mounted on the vehicle 1 and has a sleeve 39 suitably secured thereon, as by welding. An upright member or post 40 is slidably received within the sleeve 39 and suitable fastening means,

such as bolts or screws 41, are mounted in the sleeve 39 and adapted to engage the upright member 40 to retain the frame 17 in the operating or inoperative position. The upright member 40 is suitably secured to one end of the frame 17, as

by welding, and is positioned adjacent the leading support wheel 29.

In use, the automatic joint oilers 4 and are positioned in the operative position, and the fastening devices 41 firmly position the upright member 40 in the sleeve 39. The vehicle 1 is driven along the track "with the automatic joint oilers 4 and 5 traveling along the rails 2 and 3 respectively, whereby the joint oilers 4 and 5 are adapted for oiling the splice joints 16 therein in response to the respective activating wheel 14 engaging the splice bar 15.

It is to be understood that while we have illustrated and described one form of our invention, it is not to be limited to this specific form or arrangement of parts herein described and shown.

We claim:

1. An automatic rails comprising:

a. a mobile vehicle for traveling along a railroad track having a pair of transversely spaced rails, said vehicle carrying thereon means for supplying oil under pressure;

. a pair of elongate frames each supported by and extending from said vehicle and each being positioned above one of said respective rails, each frame having wheel means engaging said respective rail to maintain same aligned with said respective rail;

. oil spray means carried on each of said frames;

. flow means communicating said pressure supply means with said spray means for flow of oil under pressure therebetween;

e. valve means in said flow means for controlling oil flow to said spray means, said valve means having an elongate plunger extending from one side thereof, said plunger having flow interrupting means normally biased to interrupt oil flow to said spray means; and

f. a bracket pivotally mounted on an exterior surface of each of said frames, said bracket having an activating wheel rotatably mounted on one portion thereof, said activating wheel being positioned to engage a web portion of said respective railroad rail whereby an other portion of said bracket is pivoted into operative engagement with one end of said plunger to move said flow interrupting means upon engagement of said activating wheel with a rail splice bar during movement of said frames along said respective rails to open said valve means for supplying oil to said splice bar.

2. The automatic joint oiler as set forth in claim 1 wherein said wheel means on each of said frames to maintain same aligned with said respective rails includes:

a. a pair of support wheels rotatably mounted on each of said frames and positioned to engage a top surface of said respective railroad rail adjacent leading and trailing ends respectively of each of said frames; and

b. a guide wheel rotatably mounted on each of said frames and positioned to engage an inside surface of a ball portion of said respective railroad rail, said guide wheel being positioned in an aligned relation with said activating wheel whereby said activating wheel and said guide wheel cooperate with said support wheels to maintain said respective frame aligned with said respective rail.

The automatic joint oiler as set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said oil spray means is a pair of spray bars positioned adjacent leading and trailing ends respectively of each of said frames; and

b. each of said spray bars has a spray nozzle on each side of said respective rail and directed toward same whereby joint oiler for oiling splice joints of railroad said respective rail splice bar and said railroad rails ina joint receive an overlapped spray. An automatic joint oiler for oiling splice joints of railroad rails comprising:

a self-propelled mobile vehicle for traveling along a railroad track having a pair of transversely spaced railroad rails, said vehicle having an oil reservoir and oil pump carried thereon;

. a pair of elongate transversely spaced mobile frames each supported by and extending from said vehicle, each of said frames being positioned above one of said respective rails;

. a leading spray bar and a trailing spray bar each having a pair of oil spray nozzles mounted on opposite ends of each of said frames, said spray nozzles on said leading and trailing spray bars being positioned on opposite sides of said respective rail;

flexible tubular flow members communicating said oil reservoir and pump with each of said spray bars for flow of oil under pressure to said spray nozzles;

. a flow control valve mounted on each of said frames for controlling oil flow to said spray bars thereon, each of said flow control valves having adjustable means thereon movable between a flow permitting position and a flow interrupting position; and

activating means carried on each of said frames for opening said flow control valve for supplying oil under pressure to said spray nozzles in response to engagement with a rail splice bar during movement along said respective rails, said activating means having a bracket pivotally mounted on an exterior surface of each of said frames and an activating wheel rotatably mounted on said bracket and positioned to engage a web portion of said respective railroad rail whereby said bracket is pivoted into operative engagement with said adjustable means on said control valve thereby moving same to said flow permitting position when said activating wheel engages said rail splice bar.

The joint oiler as set forth in claim 4 wherein:

. said mobile frames each have a pair of longitudinally spaced support wheelsrrotatably mounted adjacent leading and trailing ends respectively and positioned to engage atop surface of said respective railroad rail;

. said mobile frames each have a guide wheel rotatably mounted intermediate the ends thereof and positioned to engage an inside surface of a ball portion of said respective railroad rail; and

. said activating wheel is biased to engage said rail web portion in a transversely aligned relation with said guide wheel whereby said guide wheel and said activating wheel cooperate with said support wheels to maintain said respective frame aligned with said respective rail.

. The joint oiler as set forth claim 4 wherein: said leading and trailing spray bars are each substantially rigid tubular members; said spray nozzles are directed toward each side of said respective rail and said rail splice bar engaging same; and

. said leading and trailing spray bars are longitudinally spaced apart a distance such that a portion of the splice bar and the rails joined by same sprayed by the leading spray bar will also be sprayed by the trailing spray bar.

. The joint oiler as set forth in claim 4 wherein:

said control valve has an elongate plunger extending from one side thereof, said plunger having a flow interrupting position and a flow permitting position, said plunger being normally biased to interrupt oil flow to said spray bars;

said control valve is positioned intermediate the ends of said frame;

. said bracket has an arm positioned to engage one end of said plunger to move same from said flow interrupting position to said flow permitting position upon engagement of said activating wheel with said splice bar; and

a. said flow control valve is positioned intermediate the ends of said respective frame;

b. said bracket and said activating wheel thereon are positioned intermediate the ends-of said respective frame and aligned with said flow control valve; and v c. a guide wheel is rotatably mounted on each of said frames in a position transversely aligned with said respective flow control valve and said respective activating wheel. 

